Last week, social media was awash with news about the passing of Nigerian rapper Oladipupo Oladimej, better known by his stage name Oladips.
The management of the artiste announced his “death” via social media, saying they were still in “shock” but did not reveal the cause of the demise. A statement that had been widely reported said funeral arrangements would be announced once it was concluded.
Music enthusiasts were blown away by the announcement, considering that a fine Afrobeats talent (Mohbad) from the same country had also passed on barely a month ago.
Meanwhile, other reports early this week suggest the musician is still alive, following the release of this latest album titled Superhero Adugbo (The Memoir) which is currently the most streamed song on Audiomack (Africa) as of the second week of November 2023.
Other observers say the death rumour was orchestrated to promote the new album, igniting questions about the extent to which artistes could go to promote their songs.
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Publicity stunts are common in the music industry, but the wonder lies in why an artiste would fake their own death to promote their works. An associate of the 28-year-old had stated that the Afrobeats singer-rapper was alive.
Some musicians in the industry indicate Oladips only put out the news to test his popularity, having been off the music scene for years.
His management has not responded to whether the singer is alive, nor have they announced his funeral. Dead or alive, who is Oladips and what has he been up to?
The rapper’s newly released album has songs titled: Can’t sleep at Night, Mura, Die Young, Motivation, Legend, and many others. Born on March 24, 1995, in Ogun State, Nigeria, the performer is said to have exhibited his love for music at a tender age.
At sixteen, he was involved in a series of rap battles and rose to become a formidable force on the rap scene. His career took off after he won the King is Here contest, hosted by Nigerian musician D’banj, in 2015.
He is known for hits like “Chache” and “Lalakukulala and was previously signed on to EDGE/LRR Records but parted ways with this label in 2019, citing contract violations and dissatisfaction.
The rapper’s net worth is estimated at $70,000 and is said to have made remarkable progress on the Nigerian music landscape. He has released a number of singles and collaborated with other musicians in his home country.
Other works by the artist include African Beauty, Detty December, Birthday Finesse, 8 O’clock, Grateful, in addition to the Broke Boy Extended Play (EP) released in December 2022.